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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29641983">please don't have somebody waiting on you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/coupe_de_foudre/pseuds/coupe_de_foudre'>coupe_de_foudre</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Afghanistan, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Army Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), First Time, Fluff, Hurt Evan "Buck" Buckley, M/M, Meet-Cute, Pre-Canon, U.S. Navy SEAL Evan "Buck" Buckley, it's okay Eddie saves the day, no beta we die like men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:26:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,310</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29641983</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/coupe_de_foudre/pseuds/coupe_de_foudre</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Who the hell is that?” </p><p>“That’s Eddie Diaz. Best Army Medic in this hellhole.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>470</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>please don't have somebody waiting on you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this was a prompt over on <a href="https://a-beautiful-struggle-of-life.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> because I mentioned being a slut for army medic eddie diaz and y'all wonderfully people provided me with great ideas. also inspired by 'enchanted' by taylor swift (hence the title) because it fit perfectly don't judge....</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sand kicks up underneath his boots. The sun beating down on him is smothering, a smouldering heat that has every hair sweat-slicked to his skin, almost itching. He wants to get in some shade, escape it just for a moment, but they have a mission to do.</p><p>And he’d be damned if he doesn’t make it through today.</p><p>Someone rushes by, two people actually, carrying a gurney, followed by another guy not too far behind them shouting orders in a tone that is definitely not to be argued. Buck’s eyes follow the latter, watching as the guy jogs to catch up with the others all whilst pulling on his gear. The three of them are in army colours, which isn’t so surprising considering Buck’s team have been partnered up with a fair few army platoons lately.</p><p>They’re narrowing down on the initial target and that means military troops from all over the desert have met in a collision as their maps all led them to one place.</p><p>“Who the hell is that?” Buck leans over to his closest friend here, Mark, who’s marching besides him. Mark follows his gaze and laughs.</p><p>“That’s Eddie Diaz.” he tells Buck, as though it should be obvious, “Best Army Medic in this hellhole.”</p><p>Buck scoffs, schooling his impression into a look of indifference. “Really? Then why ain’t he with us then?”</p><p>Mark shrugs, smirking. “Beats me.”</p><p>Buck watches the medic for a while longer, appreciating the view, even under these circumstances as it serves as a distraction from his own discomfort. He’s long since come to terms with his bisexuality, and whilst he might not be out to his friends or family that doesn’t mean he can’t still admire an attractive man when he sees one.</p><p>And Eddie Diaz is most definitely an attractive man.</p><p>A scream for a medic comes from one of the neighbouring tents, just off the path that Buck and Mark are heading down (though, whether you can call trodden down sand a path, Buck isn’t so sure) and Eddie pats one of his comrades on the back before taking off in the direction of the cry. Buck holds back his disappointment.</p><p>He figures that will be the last he sees of the cute medic. That tends to be how it goes out here; a constant churn of new faces passing by, each looking as tired and dreary as the last.</p><p> </p><p>So naturally, the universe decides to prove him wrong.</p><p>Not for the first time.</p><p> </p><p>Their mission goes wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong.</p><p>All Buck can see, for miles, is sand and sun and more fucking sand. It’s in his hair, it’s in his eyes, it’s in his goddamn leg and it stings. Man, does it sting.</p><p>Only he could manage to get separated from his team, leg possibly blown to pieces – he really doesn’t want to look down at the damage, he can already feel it – and there’s nothing. Nobody. He’s well and truly fucked.</p><p>Great.</p><p>“Help!” he screams, voice being picked up and thrown away by the wind. The chances of anybody hearing him are slim.</p><p>He groans, clawing at the sand as he tries to at least pull himself away from the helicopter (well, what’s left of it, anyway), in an attempt to escape the scorching heat. The last thing he needs is to be burnt any worse than he already was in the initial explosion.</p><p>Thoughts whirl through his mind, half-finished and panicked: where’s his team, who was it screaming when they tumbled down, who shot at them in the first place and what the fuck is in his leg? Is it a bullet? Or is it shrapnel from the helicopter?</p><p>Buck isn’t entirely sure he wants to find out.</p><p>He grunts, squeezing his eyes closed as he pushes himself up onto his feet. It’s unlike any pain he’s experienced before, and that’s saying something considering the amount of times Buck’s found himself in hospitals. He bites down on his lip, refusing to let anything even resembling a scream escape; he’s a Navy SEAL, he doesn’t cry.</p><p>“Hey,” he shouts once more, not wanting to give up hope as he all but drags himself across the empty plain, arm raised to shield his eyes from the sand. “Is anybody there?”</p><p>A whistle of the wind is his only answer.</p><p>Or, so he thinks, until he hears another shout. “Hello?”</p><p>Hope rises in his chest and he lets out a shaky laugh, trying to decipher where the voice came from. He can’t see shit.</p><p>“Jake? Sammy? That you?”</p><p>“Identify yourself!” the demand is louder this time, closer.</p><p>Buck steels himself, hands already reaching for his gun as the realisation that he doesn’t know who it is he’s about to encounter. “Evan Buckley. Navy SEAL.”</p><p>The pause that follows feels like hours but, in reality, is probably only a minute at most. “Stay where you are, Buckley. I’m coming to get you.”</p><p>Buck stops, following the orders. The person doesn’t sound like a threat to him. If he’s wrong, well…this is his only glimpse of getting out alive so he has no choice but to take it.</p><p>He turns, scanning his surroundings, just as a figure appears in the distance. Squinting, he tries to stagger towards them but is stopped short when an excruciating pains shoots up his calf. He curses, buckling forwards and closing his eyes as he readies himself for impact with the ground for the second time that afternoon.</p><p>It never comes.</p><p>Instead, strong arms wrap themselves around his middle just in time, hoisting him up with the ease of someone used to lifting six foot tall men on a daily.</p><p>“You alright?” it’s that voice again, only, closer up, it sounds oddly familiar. Buck tries to place it, thinking it might be one of his team, but he comes up blank.</p><p>He nods in response, before realising that his saviour might not be able to see him clearly. “Yeah. Yeah, my leg. I think- <em>fuck</em>! I got hit.”</p><p>“Alright,” the arms around him shift until one is secured around his waist and the other can manoeuvre Buck into a more upright position, forcing him to wrap his own arm around the person’s shoulders. He feels a sturdy pat to his hip, both motivating and reassuring. “We got a short walk to the medic tent, you think you can make it?”</p><p>“Sure.” Buck grumbles, hissing through the pain as he begins to walk in the direction he’s being led.</p><p>That was a lie. He passed out within minutes, the last thing he remembers being a voice calling out his name in a panic.</p><p> </p><p>When he comes to, everything is different. There’s no sand, no wind, no insufferable heat.</p><p>He groans, blinking his eyes open and finding himself inside some sort of tent. There’s only two racks, one of which he’s currently occupying, and a stack of medical supplies shoved into the far corner. His leg aches, a terrible throb of pain that has him wincing.</p><p>“Fuck,” he sighs out, pushing himself up onto his elbows to get a better look at his injury. His combat pants have been rolled up over his knees, his leg left wrapped tightly in blood-stained bandages. “Wonderful.”</p><p>The tent flap opens, sunlight streaming through for all of a split second before it disappears again. Buck doesn’t even have time to see who joined him when a hand lies flat on his chest and pushes him back down again.</p><p>“Good. You’re awake.”</p><p>“So I’m not dead then?” Buck tries to joke, but even he can tell his voice sounds off. “Shame.”</p><p>“Not if I have anything to do with it.” he gets back and suddenly his vision is blocked by a figure standing tall and proud above him.</p><p>It takes Buck a full three seconds to recognise the face, sharp eyes, even sharper jawline, and a soft smile that overrides it all.</p><p>“Hi,” Buck breathes out, finally smiling in what feels like forever. “So you’re my knight in shining armour? Typical.”</p><p>The medic laughs, and man if that isn’t the music to Buck’s ears. “More like sweat-stained camo but sure, I’ll take that.” Another bright smile and, honestly, Buck may as well have died for how heavenly he feels under those honey brown eyes. “Name’s Diaz, Eddie Diaz. Army Medic.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know.” Buck says before he can stop himself, and if he weren’t still in a lot of pain he’d probably blush. “You’ve got quite a reputation.”</p><p>“Ah,” Eddie chuckles, pulling a stool over to Buck’s side and sitting down, “I’m afraid you don’t.”</p><p>Buck snorts. “Well, I’d kinda hoped we’d meet under different circumstances.” he explains, gesturing down to his leg. Eddie follows the movement, face softening again.</p><p>“I can assure you, you’re in good hands.” Eddie tells him, gently squeezing his shoulder before scooting further away so he can examine Buck’s leg. “You have a bullet lodged into your calf, by the looks of it. There’s also a few minor burns. Unfortunately, I have limited supplies with me; I was only supposed to be here on surveillance.”</p><p>“I don’t tend to follow expectations.” Buck laughs, directing his gaze upwards to avoid looking at Eddie and smiling like a fool.</p><p>“I can see that, Evan.” Eddie says, carefully peeling back the bandages on his leg.</p><p>“Uh, Buck.”</p><p>Eddie glances up at him, an unfairly cute frown between his brows.</p><p>“Everybody calls me Buck.” he explains.</p><p>Eddie just nods. “Alright, Buck. Well, I’m not taking the bullet out.”</p><p>“You’re not?”</p><p>“No. It needs to be done surgically. You’re wound isn’t too big and with proper treatment it should heal perfectly afterwards.”</p><p>Buck sighs. “Fuck. So, what happens now?”</p><p>Eddie’s voice is calm, methodical and well-practised as he explains the process to Buck. “I need to clean the wound, get the sand and dirt out, sanitize it and then recover it properly. These bandages were just a temporary pressure, to stop as much of the bleeding as I could.” A hand lands on Buck’s chest, just shy of his erratically beating heart. “Buck,” Eddie doesn’t continue and Buck forces himself to look down, to meet comforting eyes that are staring at him as though the medic can read every though flitting through his frazzled brain. “You’re going to be okay.”</p><p>Buck inhales, deep. He holds it, searching Eddie’s face for even a hint of concern but falls short; Eddie looks completely confident in his own abilities. It’s that certainty that finally calms his nerves, well, that and the quirk of a smile Eddie sends him.</p><p>He nods. “Okay. Do your thing, Diaz.”</p><p>Eddie’s smile spreads further across his face, bright and beautiful, and he does just that.</p><p>He works skilfully, removing the dirty bandage and grabbing a first aid box, bending over Buck’s leg as he carefully dabs at the wound. It stings, but Buck manages to hold the complaint back and only lets out a quiet hiss of pain in response. This is much more preferable compared to actually getting shot.</p><p>“So, Navy SEAL, huh?” Eddie asks after a few minutes of comfortable silence, barely casting his eyes back up to Buck’s. His concentration is solely on his work. It’s admirable.</p><p>“Yeah, I already tried bartending and surfing. It didn’t work out. One of my friends told me about enlisting and I figured why not.” Buck isn’t really sure why he’s telling Eddie this, but it doesn’t feel wrong. Which is saying something, since he usually hates opening up to anybody.</p><p>“Yeah, but SEALs are tough motherfuckers.” Eddie does look up now, a playful smile dancing across his lips. “No offence, but you don’t strike me as the sort.”</p><p>Buck gapes, hand on heart. “Eddie Diaz, how dare you! I am a lean, mean, killing machine.” His laughter gives him away.</p><p>Eddie merely raises his eyebrows at him. Honestly, Buck doesn’t understand how somebody dripping in sweat, covered in sand and blood, can look so gorgeous. Yet Eddie manages it. “Yeah, right.” Eddie drawls, “You’re more like a golden retriever than a killer.”</p><p>Buck shrugs, regretting it when it makes his leg jolt and he’s hit with another surge of pain. His face scrunches up and Eddie mutters something in Spanish that sounds vaguely like a curse, making a grab for Buck’s leg and settling it back on the rack.</p><p>“Careful.” he chastises, fondness laced in his voice. It has Buck’s heart restricting in his chest; a practical stranger showing such genuine care for his well-being. He’s not used to that sort of worry from anybody other than Maddie.</p><p>“I do it for the thrill.” Buck says, instead of apologising like his tongue is fighting to do. “I like the adrenaline rush, I guess.”</p><p>Eddie nods at that, already wiping away at the wound again. “I get that.”</p><p>“So, why are you here?”</p><p>“My son.” Eddie states, and his voice gets quiet. “He has CP and I-… I didn’t know how else to provide for him. It sounds stupid, now, but at the time it seemed like the best option.”</p><p>Buck ignores the sinking feeling in his chest, scolding himself for even getting his hopes up in the first place. Of course a guy as perfect as this has a family already. People that love him, people that will be worrying over him, people that are waiting on him to come home safe.</p><p>He envies him, in a way.</p><p>Forcing a smile onto his face, he asks, “You have a son?”</p><p>Eddie’s expression is unbearable fond now as he turns around to rummage through his first aid box. “Christopher. He’s three. Or maybe four, I lose track of time out here.”</p><p>A triumphant huff and Eddie passes Buck a small photo with a flourish. Buck takes it.</p><p>It’s an old photo, faded and worn at the edges, but still visible. A young boy, no older than two years old, smiles up at the lens, all light brown hair and sparkling eyes. He looks mid-giggle, hands clasped around a small cuddly toy, and Buck can’t help but smile.  </p><p>“And super adorable. Sorry I, uh- I love kids.” Buck says, earnestly, as he passes Eddie the photo back. Eddie thanks him, stroking his thumb over the picture before settling it carefully back into the box. “So…”</p><p>“I’m divorced.” Eddie blurts out before Buck can even finish his train of thought. It’s exactly where he was going, though, and Buck almost laughs.</p><p>“Right, cool, that’s uh-” he mentally curses himself, wondering what the point of spending a year tending bars was if he can’t even <em>talk </em>to a guy without making a complete idiot of himself.</p><p>Eddie suddenly looks nervous, bottom lip pulled between his teeth as he stammers for the right words. “Sorry, I, uh… I just assumed, you were- and then… shit, I’m sorry. Just ignore I even said anything.”</p><p>Buck can’t help it this time, he can’t hold it back. He tries, he really does, but the combination of a fading adrenaline rush and the nervous edge he’s been on ever since Eddie stepped into the tent with him seemingly takes over and suddenly he’s clutching at his stomach in peals of laughter.</p><p>Eddie groans, loud and embarrassed, which only makes Buck laugh harder.</p><p>“I’m sorry, but-” Buck chokes out between gasping breaths, tears welling up in the corner of his eyes. “Man, we’re bad at this.”</p><p>“We- we are?”</p><p>Buck nods, wiping at his eyes as his laughter subsides and he forces himself up onto his elbows again to properly meet Eddie’s wildly confused gaze. The pout on the medic’s lips almost breaks him again and Buck has to take a deep breath to stop himself from laughing anymore.</p><p>“Look, I like you.” he says, slow enough for Eddie to understand as he catches his own breath. “I wasn’t going to say anything because I just met you and you’re quite literally my only lifeline right now.”</p><p>He watches Eddie’s face, suddenly worried that he misunderstood what the man had meant, but then a hopeful smile graces Eddie’s face and he lets out a weak chuckle.</p><p>“You do?”</p><p>Buck rolls his eyes, “Have you seen yourself? You’re like walking sex-on-legs.” Buck teases, “Also, you’re smart as fuck.”</p><p>“Debatable.” Eddie scoffs, but he’s still smiling. He stands up, taking a step closer to the top of the rack so that he’s hovering just above Buck’s head. “So…” Eddie mimics Buck’s earlier hesitance, a glint in his eyes that has Buck’s heart stammering.</p><p>“I think I need a kiss of life, doc.” Buck says, hand coming up to fist at the front of Eddie’s shirt.</p><p>Eddie lets himself be pulled down, nose inches from Buck’s face. He still manages to roll his eyes, shaking his head slightly. “You’re definitely bad at this.”</p><p>It isn’t a deal-breaker, apparently, because Eddie decides now is the perfect moment to close the short distance between them. He kisses Buck softly, both hands coming to cup his face. Buck sighs into it, more relieved than he thought he’d be. He kisses back, trying to give all of himself because this is the best thing that’s ever happened to him. Kissing Eddie is the best thing he’s ever felt. He places his hands on Eddie’s shoulders, just wanting to get as close to him as he possibly can.</p><p>He tilts his head into a better angle so that he can kiss him even deeper, licking into Eddie’s mouth with wanton abandon.</p><p>They separate for a split-second, eyes meeting and a million words passing between them. Buck lets out a quiet whine at the loss of contact, unintentionally, and becomes witness to a darkening of Eddie’s eyes that has his whole body tingling with desire.</p><p>There goes any hesitancy on Eddie’s behalf. In less than a second, he’s got a grip on Buck’s hair, pulling him into a kiss that’s equal parts teeth and tongue. Buck makes a low noise in the back of his throat, pleased, eyes slipping shut. It’s fucking perfect.</p><p>It’s not until Buck’s muffled whines of pleasure become whines of pain that Eddie pulls away, swearing into Buck’s mouth. “Christ, I’m sorry! Your leg…”</p><p>Buck goes to wave him off, tell him it can wait if only he can enjoy this moment for a second longer, but Eddie shoots him a stern glare and it shuts him up immediately.</p><p>He gives Buck one last kiss before pulling away completely, wasting no more time in cleaning the last of Buck’s wound and wrapping it meticulously in fresh bandages.</p><p>When Buck feels the ghost of a kiss over his leg, he swoons.</p><p>“There,” Eddie murmurs, voice laced with satisfaction and a want that Buck feels through his very core, “all finished.”</p><p>“That mean you’re kicking me out, Diaz?”</p><p>Eddie hums, pretending to genuinely consider the thought, before shaking his head and throwing Buck a wink. “No point. You’re in no condition to walk back to base like this and, besides, I’ll have someone coming to take me back by nightfall.”</p><p>Buck smiles, a warmth in his chest that he hasn’t felt in a long, long time. It’s nice, being wanted.</p><p>He twists to glance through the crack of the tent flaps, seeing the sun still blazing down on the desert. It’s going to be a good few hours before sunset.</p><p>“I guess we better find some way to occupy ourselves then.” he teases, wiggling his eyebrows at Eddie and earning himself a laugh.</p><p>Eddie’s smirk is almost predatory as he leans over Buck, breath fanning down over Buck’s face like a gentle caress. “I can think of a few things to do.”</p><p>Buck’s responding laugh is cut off with a kiss, and he moans into it as he snakes his arms back around Eddie.</p><p>Getting shot is the best thing that has ever happened to him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>please let me know your thoughts? I spat this out in a couple hours so it most likely sucks but also, hey, army!eddie...need I say more?!</p><p>also, my last buddie fic became my most liked fic EVER in the space of 2 days and I honestly can't express how thankful I am of you all!! &lt;3.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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